The Right Tools...

As the daughter and granddaughter of woodworkers, as the daughter and granddaughter of seamstresses, I grew up hearing "Use the right tool for the job." In the kitchen, the potential tool continuum extends from the bare necessities to cabinets full of single-purpose gadgets -- but what's the correct balance? Or the minimum? (Obviously, "too much" is when you need to store your equipment in room(s) outside the kitchen...)

I have to admit to struggling a bit with the implements available in our Cortona farmhouse. The knives, especially, lacked... well, TIPS, for example.

I mean, they were sharp and everything, but, well, they were SHORT: somewhat less than the length intended by their manufacturer.

I remember an episode of In Julia's Kitchen, where one of Julia Child's guest chefs stirred her several stove top pots and pans with tablespoons. Julia made one of her oh so polite yet snippy comments about "you young chefs" not using the range of implements available to them. My recent two weeks of lightweight vacation cooking reinforced my instinctive rule of thumb: a competent cook can do pretty much anything with a couple of sharp knives (tips recommended), and a pair of tongs. A couple of tablespoons will do, in a pinch...

We ate well, regardless.